Finding Costa Rica’s best coffee, one slurp at a time

A strange symphony could be heard in the Wyndham Herradura Hotel ballroom in San José Wednesday morning. Spoons tapping on tabletops laid down a syncopated beat underneath a chorus of clinking ceramic cups. The melody? Very. loud. slurping. Like quick rips of velcro.

Slurping isn’t just for obnoxious kids. Experts say it’s the best way to taste and smell the full range of a coffee’s flavors.

All this week, a panel of international judges has been cupping Costa Rica’s best coffees to identify the beans worthy of the 2015 Cup of Excellence. The competition is sponsored by the Alliance for Coffee Excellence, a U.S.-based non profit.